Second Chance Toys

1-800-GOT-JUNK? and Second Chance Toys Deliver Smiles Through International Expansion

 
Second Chance Toys with the assistance of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (http://www.1800gotjunk.com), has taken advantage of global partnership opportunities and set up their first outposts outside the northeast United States…in Australia! Sydney and Melbourne, specifically.

Since their inception, Second Chance Toys, in partnership with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, has rescued over 75,000 used plastic toys from the landfill, delivering them into the hands of deserving children in disadvantaged situations.

“We’ve been fortunate to partner with Second Chance Toys for several years, and have been happy to leverage our presence in cities across the world to help them grow.” states Drew Trautman, a New Jersey-based 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Franchise Partner. “We will continue to work with them on expanding into new areas, and to help them rescue toys for a second life with deserving kids.”

The charity, which started in New Jersey in 2006, has taken the ‘reuse’ principle to heart and partners with various organizations to assist in collecting and donating toys that might otherwise go straight to the landfill. Together, these partners have been brightening the lives of local children with an eye to environmental responsibility.

“With people always making room for new toys, we see lots of perfectly good toys put out on the curb,” stated Bronna Lipton, Director of Second Chance Toys. “We take advantage of this opportunity to keep them out of the landfills and put them into the hands of the children that need them most.”

1-800-GOT-JUNK? has committed to using their international reach to assist Second Chance Toys grow and expand their service areas, delivery joy to children across the world by way of salvaged toys.

After a successful Earth Week drive in April, Second Chance Toys and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? will be gearing up for the 2011 holiday season.

 

Second Chance Toys Embarks on Design of New Website

 
As a result of a generous grant from Kohl's, Second Chance Toys has hired a web design firm to take our wesite to the next level. This will include a whole new look, a host of downloadable resources as well as a clearinghouse 'engine' to facilitate connections between recipient organizations, toy collections programs, and individual toy donors. Stay tuned for more information coming soon, all in time for our year-end Holiday toy drive.

 

Downingtown School District Elementary Schools Pitch in to help Second Chance Toys During Earth Week!

The week prior to Spring Break, students at Beaver Creek, Pickering Valley, Shamona Creek, Springton Manor, Uwchlan Hills and West Bradford Elementary Schools and the Central Office of Downingtown School District teamed up with Second Chance Toys of PA and collected over 1,000 gently used plastic toys. 1-800-Got-Junk? volunteered its resources to transport the District's donations on Thursday April 14^th to three head start programs in Coatesville.  Thanks for the great job, everyone!

First grade Teacher Kaity Barnes and students from Pickering Valley Elementary

MOMs Club of Moorestown helps 20 families!

 
Pictured are Jen Pifani, MVP and Lee Stoner AVP, MOMs Club of Moorestown

 
Collected toys at House of God Church, Delran, NJ

MOMs Club of Moorestown was so happy to take part in the Second Chance Toys Earth Day Collection. We delivered our toys to Gwen Pullen, Outreach Coordinator, House of God Church in Delran, NJ on April 29^th. Gwen planned a Community Day with approximately 20 invited families where the donated toys would find  great homes and help our environment by keeping plastic out of landfills!   

The MOMS Club® of Moorestown is a local chapter of the International MOMS Club®, a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization serving the needs of stay-at-home and part-time working moms. We draw members from a number of towns in the area surrounding Moorestown, including Cinnaminson, Delran, Palmyra, Riverton, and Riverside, NJ. Our Club goals are to provide a support group for mothers who choose to stay home to raise their children, to provide a forum for topics of interest to mothers, to help children in the community, and to perform regular service projects to benefit needy children and families. 

MOMs Club of Moorestown appreciates the efforts of Second Chance Toys !

Over 10,000 Toys Collected and Donated to Children in Need

 
Second Chance Toys continues to reach new milestones and recently exceeded the 75,000 mark in plastic toys donated to children in need. BIG thanks to Kohl's, 1-800-Got-Junk?, New York Kids Club, Campbell's Carpet, and all the families, schools and community groups that held toy drives. Together we are really making a difference in helping kids and our environment.

Our goal it to reach the 100,000 toy donation milestone later this year. And with your help we know we can do it.

Second Chance Toys of Sydney, Australia Connects with Parents of Children in Need

 
 
Second Chance Toys of Sydney recently donated toys to this MyTime parent support group that meet at Canley Vale Leisure Centre in Sydney's West each week. MyTime groups provide local support for parents and anyone caring for a young child with a disability or chronic medical condition. Parents can socialise and share ideas and the children have fun with some wonderful toys.

Sayville Middle School Student's Work Helps Both Coming and Going

 
 
Sayville.com 4/27/11 - Last January, when 6th Grader Luke Kleppan’s mother, Rosann, told him about a Newsday article she’d read entitled “Toys Get Another Turn to Thrill Kids”, Luke’s reaction was, “I want to do that!”

The January 18th article by Jennifer Barrios talked about “Second Chance Toys”, a New Jersey-based nonprofit organization that keeps plastic toys out of landfills and distributes them to needy children. “I think this is really good because it’s a win-win situation. It takes toys out of landfills and puts them into children’s hands,” Luke said.

Luke’s parish, The Church of the Good Shepherd in Holbrook, generously allowed him to hold the toy drive there. He created a flyer to pass among the church members asking for clean plastic toys with no missing parts, new batteries sizes AA to D and disinfecting wipes. The congregation responded with over two hundred toys, packages of batteries and cartons of wipes which were stored in the church basement. That’s where I met the crew consisting of family and friends. “We’re cleaning, assorting and making sure they all work. We’re putting fresh batteries in (the toys) to make sure they’re ready to go when the child gets them. We also check the consumer protection recall list to be sure they are safe,” Rosann told me.

“We called organizations to find who needed the toys. Matthew, the recreation and education director of The HELP Suffolk in Bellport – a homeless shelter, was happy to get the toys. He said there were about 175 kids there,” Rosann explained.

“We spent about 50 hours planning, collecting, cleaning and organizing,” Luke said.

The Kleppan’s Auntie Ann was there to help. “I’m very proud of Luke for doing this and I’m happy to lend a helping hand.”

Friend and fellow church-goer, Maria Pavek, was “glad to be of help (and to give many toys!) I believe this inspires others and my son, Cortland, to do similar things.”

Rosann told me that “right now we have about 250 toys. Some of them are brand new, still in the original wrapping.”

According to the Sayville Middle School, students are encouraged to do a minimum of seven hours community service a year. Those who surpass 50 hours are presented with a presidential recognition certificate of community service. I think Luke Kleppan, with the help of his crew, has reached that lofty goal and has made us all proud!

Second Chance Toys in Sydney, Australia Brings Joy to Children in Need